Basement Update - October

Our basement update for October has far fewer pictures, but just as much work went into the basement in October despite the lack of pictures. Here is what we worked on.

-We ran plumbing to the bathroom.
-Installed all the light boxes
-Ran wire for light boxes
-Did all of the ductwork. This is probably one of the areas I am most proud. We had to cut into the existing ducts and attach the additional ducts and it was pretty cool.
-Cut out the door and window under the stairs.

Overall, we are feeling great and hopefully will have sheetrock in a couple of weeks. We need to finish plumbing, install the tub, and the fan to the bathroom and then finish a few other projects and we'll be ready for sheetrock.

Gardner Village 2019

One of our favorite fall traditions is to go to Gardner Village with Melissa and Zachary. This year it was pretty cold, so we bundled up in snow stuff and we were warm and toasty as we walked around looking for the different witches. As always, we ended with cookies at the Naborhood Bakery.

(This was Lucy's first Garner Village trip and she was a champ!) 

This year ended on a bumer note when Zach got his finger shut in our van door. We ended up at the instacare so that he could get his thumb xrayed. It was a bummer, but not broken, so that's a relief!

insta-october

insta-october

{10.1.19}

We love having the train track run right through our backyard- so many perks and we don't mind the noise. Today was a great train watching day: we got to watch the Union Pacific Big Boy drive past our house on its tour through Utah. I knew when it would be coming, approximately, so I had us close by. We heard it coming from a mile away! It was huge and SO loud. We yelled and waved and the kids talked about it for the rest of the day. So cool to see! I'm tucking this little treasure of a moment (it lasted less than 60 seconds from start to finish) away to pull out later when I want to remember the excitement of my children over something simple and to remember how much I love this life I live with them. 🚂

{10.4.19}

Lucy Holland. ♥️ So many of you have reached out asking how Lucy is doing and I've really needed to post about her for a while. In complete honesty, I don't really know what to say- more than I've said. We won't know more (aka anything) about her vision until December. I set up a visit with my pediatrician to ask him lots of questions in general, but a lot of it was just "there's a range", so we won't know where she falls until we know. We did find out that baby sunglasses and daily sunscreen will be a new part of our routine so I'm trying to figure that out. (That's the Albinism part of her diagnosis.) But in the biggest news: Lucy has started tracking! She can only track large, brightly colored objects, but still- it's a miracle to me and I'm grateful for each and every prayer offered on her behalf. I posted this video to show the Nystagmus part of her diagnosis: her eyes roam and shake without really being able to focus. I know so little about everything, I have no experience and very little knowledge. But we are grateful for people who do, and for all you who love and support us/her. I'm still just feeling really peaceful and grateful to travel this journey with my Lucy-loo.

{10.13.19}

Primary Program 2019. ♥️ The big kids sang with their whole hearts while Caleb grinned at them from the pews. I was released from Primary a couple of months ago, but I have such a love for the primary children (and their teachers). This verse from a special primary number sung by our Valiant class hit my right in my heart: "And now we're on earth

To prove we'll be faithful

Keep His commandments

And follow His ways

For we're still fighting

For good over evil

Not with a sword

But with courage and faith

...

And we will choose Him again

For He's our Savior and friend

He'll help and guide us each day

And He will show us the way

To be the best us we possibly can

Oh we will choose Him

We will choose Him again"

Today I choose to follow Jesus and love up to the promises I have made. I'm grateful for the Spirit that whispered of the love my Heavenly Parents have for the children of my ward and also for the love they have for me as their child, too.

{10.13.19}

Sisters. ♥️♥️ I love my sisters and I'm so glad that these two will have each other.

{10.16.19}

We played hookey from school yesterday and hit up Cornbellies for our Field Trip this week. The kids loved it although they all wanted to go down the big slide (which wasn't open for field trips). Caleb snuck away from me, ducked under the blockades and started up the giant set of stairs before I could grab him 😬. (#4kidsiseasy)I had told the kids we weren't going to Cornbellies this year, so they were extra thrilled and I feel like it was mom-win for me!

{10.16.19}

At bedtime tonight: "MOM! I need U-cy in my bed!" This boy loves his little sister.

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{10.19.19}

Lydia, Lucy, and I got to go to the new Saratoga Springs Temple groundbreaking (broadcast) this morning. One of the speakers spoke to my heart. He talked about how we may wish that we could build the temple with our hands, or be an integral part of the building process (making me think of the pioneers who labored with their might and sacrificed things like their treasured China to break up and put in the plaster to add to the majesty of the temple) but that our role is different now. He invited us to have a personal and spiritual groundbreaking in the soil of our hearts so that as this temple is being built, we can also be building ourselves a Temple Life. My thoughts travel to a story my Mother-in-law tells about the building of the Jordan River Temple. They were young and poor, barely making ends meet, but had decided that it was important to them for their children to take piano lessons. They had been saving a small amount each month(basically their only savings) for a piano. When the Jordan River Temple was being built, their Bishop called them in and asked them if they would donate a certain amount of money for the building of the temple. Exactly the amount that they had in their piano savings account. They faithfully gave that money knowing that they would not be able to buy a piano, but also giving with gratitude that they COULD give because without that savings they wouldn't have been able to. The Lord knew exactly the amount and what their sacrifice would be. Several years later, and still no piano, Sue's parents decided that they needed a a piano more than they did and they sacrificed their own instrument so that their grandchildren could have lessons. That Piano has now been passed to us and Lydia is learning to play on those very same keys. .

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Faith. A Temple. Building a life centered around Christ.

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Feeling excited to be in the temple district of this very special temple and even though we haven't been asked to sacrifice in the same way that others have, I'm feeling the need for a tiny shovel to start the groundbreaking in my heart.

{10.30.19}

David snapped this shot while I was sitting with Lucy in the morning, just holding her- without feeling the need to rush to get to something or somewhere else. Homeschool brings a lot of wonderful things to our lives, but one my very favorites is our unhurried, unrushed mornings. Trying to balance time and attention to four small humans, (plus their dad) is no small feat- but this picture reminds me that there is peace in the stillness.

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Also me: frantically trying to finish sewing Lydia's "Red Panda" costume and trying to convince Austin that he can't switch costumes the night before Halloween.